Goltanna's plan for achieving power hinges on Princess Ovelia, one of two potential heirs to the throne of Ivalice. If Ovelia becomes queen, Goltanna can become her regent. However, if Prince Orinus becomes king instead, Larg will likely end up as the regent. Larg's assistant, Dycedarg Beoulve, attempts to have Ovelia kidnapped from Orbonne Monastery and killed, but is unaware that kidnapper Delita Heiral is a double-agent working for Goltanna.

While Delita is eventually forced to hand Ovelia over to his childhood friend Ramza Beoulve, who is fighting for neither side though he is Dycedarg's half-brother, a run-in with Cardinal Delacroix has Ovelia once again fall into Delita's hands, and she is delivered to Goltanna.

During the battle, an engineer named Barich Fendsor, working for the Church of Glabados that has secretly orchestrated the war, spreads Mossfungus poison throughout the Northern Sky ranks, making it seem as though the Order of the Southern Sky will win. Ramza arrives and brings the battle to a dead halt by opening the Fort Besselat sluice. Goltanna attempts to have his men march outright through the water, but Delita betrays the duke and kills him.